The emergency services in the Spanish city of Valencia say at least four people have been killed in a massive fire in a high-rise apartment building. Twenty other people are believed to be missing. The blaze spread rapidly, stoked by highly inflammable cladding. Vincent McCavenagh now reports.

Firefighters in Valencia were first alerted at around 5:30 yesterday afternoon after a blaze broke out on one of the building's lower floors. It quickly spread with eyewitness saying it engulfed the entire 14-story structure in a matter of minutes. Residents fled to their balconies with firefighters making dramatic rescues. Others waited in the smoke for their turn.

It's shocking. I don't know what to make of it. It's sad, very sad. I told my daughter and mother-in-law to leave. Others The people stayed inside.

The residential block in Valencia's Campanar neighborhood contains 138 flats, thought to be home to around 450 residents. More than 20 fire crews continued to tackle the blaze through the night as strong winds fanned the flames, helping them to spread to an adjoining building. There are fears for those who may have been trapped inside. A makeshift hospital was set up nearby to treat the injured. Local authorities have set up a helpline to assist those searching for loved ones who lived in the apartments. One expert who previously inspected the building has told the Spanish press the block's exterior featured a polyurethane material, which is no longer in wide use because of fears over flammability. With the speed of the fire spread, questions are now being asked in Spain, not just about how this fire started, but about how quickly the materials used in the building the building's construction allowed it to take hold. Vincent McAvini, BBC News.